Police say a man from Gouldsboro shot his pet German Shepherd after it accidentally went to the bathroom inside his home.
Now Daniel Stevens, 25, is in trouble with the law after the dog had to be put down from its injuries.
"To me, and to all the officers here, we consider it to be quite horrible. To be honest with you, again, it's a dog who relies on us," said Lt. Will Laverty of the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department.
Police say Stevens admitted to shooting his five-year-old female German Shepherd in the neck area because the dog had relieved herself in the house. Stevens told police he put the dog on the leash to control the dog when he shot it. Stevens said he then put the dog inside a dog crate, leaving it to die.
The dog survived the gunshot wound and was taken to the Blakeslee Animal Clinic. But, veterinarians had to put the dog down.
It's a case both police and a veterinarian find appalling.
"It's not something we like to see, I can tell you that," said Lt. Laverty.
"It was a nice animal, and to see this kind of wound, to know how it was inflicted and those circumstances, is gut-wrenching to see this," said Dr. Andrew Church.
Police say they were tipped off about the crime by some neighbors. Those neighbors tell police they were walking in the neighborhood when, all of a sudden, they say, they heard gunshots and a dog crying.
Dr. Church feels Stevens' punishment should be severe.
"Something like this, I think, should have some pretty significant ramifications for the pet owner to show people this isn't right, this isn't acceptable to do this," said Dr. Church.
Charges are pending against Daniel Stevens of Gouldsboro. Whatever charges come will most likely misdemeanors.
State Representative Mario Scavello says he will be look into creating harsher legislation to crack down on people who commit crimes against animals.
Now Daniel Stevens, 25, is in trouble with the law after the dog had to be put down from its injuries.
"To me, and to all the officers here, we consider it to be quite horrible. To be honest with you, again, it's a dog who relies on us," said Lt. Will Laverty of the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department.
Police say Stevens admitted to shooting his five-year-old female German Shepherd in the neck area because the dog had relieved herself in the house. Stevens told police he put the dog on the leash to control the dog when he shot it. Stevens said he then put the dog inside a dog crate, leaving it to die.
The dog survived the gunshot wound and was taken to the Blakeslee Animal Clinic. But, veterinarians had to put the dog down.
It's a case both police and a veterinarian find appalling.
"It's not something we like to see, I can tell you that," said Lt. Laverty.
"It was a nice animal, and to see this kind of wound, to know how it was inflicted and those circumstances, is gut-wrenching to see this," said Dr. Andrew Church.
Police say they were tipped off about the crime by some neighbors. Those neighbors tell police they were walking in the neighborhood when, all of a sudden, they say, they heard gunshots and a dog crying.
Dr. Church feels Stevens' punishment should be severe.
"Something like this, I think, should have some pretty significant ramifications for the pet owner to show people this isn't right, this isn't acceptable to do this," said Dr. Church.
Charges are pending against Daniel Stevens of Gouldsboro. Whatever charges come will most likely misdemeanors.
State Representative Mario Scavello says he will be look into creating harsher legislation to crack down on people who commit crimes against animals.
